Kyrie Irving on knee surgery: 'This season was only a snapshot of what's to come'

Shortly after news broke on Thursday that Boston Celtics star Kyrie Irving’s knee injury would cost him the rest of this season and the team followed by announcing their All-Star point guard would undergo surgery that will sideline him up to five months, he took to Instagram to express his feelings.

“The hardest thing to do sometimes is accept the uncontrollable things life throws at you,” Irving wrote. “You try consistently to learn, grow, and prepare everyday to equip your mind, body, and spirit with tools to deal with some of those things, but I feel when those moments arise they all give you a sense of unfulfillment, simply because it puts some of your professional journey and goals on a brief hold. It’s simply a test of your perseverance and Will, to be present, even in the wake of what’s going on. In this case, finding out I have an infection in my knee is definitely a moment that I now accept and move past without holding on to the all the what ifs, proving the nay-Sayers completely f***ing wrong, and accomplishing the goals I’ve set out for the team and myself. This season was only a snapshot of what’s to come from me. Trust Me. ‘The journey back to the top of Mt. Everest continues.'”

FILE – In this Feb. 28, 2018, file photo, Boston Celtics guard Kyrie Irving (11) moves down court during the first quarter of an NBA basketball game in Boston. A person with knowledge of the situation says Celtics point guard Kyrie Irving will miss the rest of the regular season and playoffs after surgery on his left knee. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to The Associated Press because the team has not released the news. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Irving added the hashtag#StandingRockSiouxTribe. He is a self-described descendant of the tribe and long supported their recent efforts against the Dakota Access Pipeline. Historically, the Sioux are known for steadfastness in the face of overwhelming obstacles, and the death of their most famous member, Sitting Bull, (somewhat ironically here) was a precursor to the Wounded Knee Massacre.

In an effort to remove bacteria in his knee, Irving will undergo surgery on Saturday to remove the screws that were installed when he fractured his kneecap during the 2015 NBA Finals. In his Instagram post, he implied he would be in attendance for Boston’s impending first-round playoff series.

“Let’s go Celtics!!” Irving wrote. “Celtics fans, I look forward to hearing how loud it gets in the TD Garden during the playoffs and experiencing how intense the environment gets. Thank you all!”